[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

I wonder how Revice Garuda Genome would've looked like.

Something like this maybe?



(i put way too much effort into this dumb joke)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

From what I recall, Ray's issue according to him is that, he's only a normal human, thus he can't be the one to protect the world, which ofc, Mikhail offers him the power to achieve it in the Power Stone. He was iirc described as someone with straightforward-strong sense of justice in the previews, which was shown in him not letting go of Mikhail even with the Kombatants (the name of VUDO's mooks) attacking him

It's both. Ray sees himself as nothing too special, but he also just wants to prioritize those close to him, as just about anyone would.

[DreamSword]

Episode 3

It's not often you get to see three transformations in one episode.

Anyway, this episode, while certainly action heavy, is all about Ray coming into his own as a hero.

Despite his protests last episode, it quickly becomes clear that he doesn't have it in him to just stand back and watch as innocent people get hurt. And I really liked the touches of realism that came with that.

Things such as him having cuts and bruises from the fights he gets in. And while none of the content is especially graphic, the implications brought on by the various scenes of the Kombatmen attacking(they totally beheaded a few people in that crowd) really help sell the threat of the Vudo Empire.

We get our first monster of the week here too, known as the Lizarion Monster. This thing was just plain gross in terms of design(like the way it slurped up the basketball player), but I felt that the fights it had with Bima were really well choreographed. And of course the sass that it gave Iron Mask made for a really fun character moment.

Oh, and since we got to see more of it in action here, Bima has a sword+bow combo weapon known as Helios. And I kinda don't get why one of its wings is blue? Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for the Kikaider aesthetic, but wouldn't like, gold and silver, or black and white make alot more sense in terms of color coordinating with Bima's' palette? Well whatever, it's not that big of a deal. I do like how each blade has a very different purpose atleast.

Overall, this episode was pretty nice. It established more of the sort of relationship that Ray has with Randy, Rena, and Bima as an identity, and the fights were fun. Can't really complain.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Something like this maybe?

I like how the chest stamp conveniently aligns with Bima's emblem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

[CENTER]Episode 3

Things such as him having cuts and bruises from the fights he gets in. And while none of the content is especially graphic, the implications brought on by the various scenes of the Kombatmen attacking(they totally beheaded a few people in that crowd) really help sell the threat of the Vudo Empire.

We get our first monster of the week here too, known as the Lizarion Monster. This thing was just plain gross in terms of design(like the way it slurped up the basketball player), but I felt that the fights it had with Bima were really well choreographed. And of course the sass that it gave Iron Mask made for a really fun character moment.

Yeah, like the Showa and early Heisei Rider Eras this franchise takes inspiration from, VUDO don't hold back on killing civilians and some of the MOTWs have particularly nasty and cruel ways of doing it as well. Their memorable personalities also remind me of the Phantoms from Wizard, the concurrently airing Rider show.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Oh, and since we got to see more of it in action here, Bima has a sword+bow combo weapon known as Helios. And I kinda don't get why one of its wings is blue?

Otherwise the finisher name, "Blue Storm!", wouldn't make any sense, haha. Symbolically, I think the blue is a softer color to represent what that side of Helios is used for, to separate human hosts, while the red side aggressively explodes MOTWs. Ironically, Build RabbitTank would later use this symbolism, but with the colors reversed.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Otherwise the finisher name, "Blue Storm!", wouldn't make any sense, haha. Symbolically, I think the blue is a softer color to represent what that side of Helios is used for, to separate human hosts, while the red side aggressively explodes MOTWs. Ironically, Build RabbitTank would later use this symbolism, but with the colors reversed.

Yeah, that makes sense. Still, I just find it kinda weird given the rest of Bima's' getup. Then again it's no weirder than a fire element warrior having an air element attack, I guess.

[Sunred]

I just had to say this but Bima is one of the greatest non-Japanese toku achievements to exist alongside Legend Heroes.

[DreamSword]

Episode 4

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNO TOAD!

This episode was quite the surprise in alot of ways, as it manages to do some twists on the Toku formula that I didn't expect.

Most prominently, a good majority of the episode is actually from the point of view of a photographer, who actually isn't the victim of the week(though he does get his wallet stolen).

The sound design was greatly improved in this one too, which really helped sell the overall atmosphere of the episode, which is definitely needed given the master plan involves the Hypno Toad hypnotizing people into jumping off of buildings and walking infront of oncoming trains! Good lord!

Other highlights include Ray asking Mikhail if Mikhail is at all connected to the Vudo Empire's' initial attack 21 years ago, with Mikhail dodging the question entirely(meaning he's totally connected somehow), and social media going crazy over Bima, which might make this the first Toku to ever have that sort of element as a part of its story?

Oh, and this is also the first episode of the show's' first two-parter, so I guess this really is a Kamen Rider show!

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunred

I just had to say this but Bima is one of the greatest non-Japanese toku achievements to exist alongside Legend Heroes.

If it keeps going the way it has been, I could see it! I absolutely loved Legend Heroes!

[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

[CENTER]Episode 3

Anyway, this episode, while certainly action heavy, is all about Ray coming into his own as a hero.

Despite his protests last episode, it quickly becomes clear that he doesn't have it in him to just stand back and watch as innocent people get hurt. And I really liked the touches of realism that came with that.

Yeah, personally never got the feeling that Ray prioritized loved ones or such in that time (only that he was a normal human). Due to this, though ofc it's not an either/or situation regarding caring about innocents or closed ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Oh, and since we got to see more of it in action here, Bima has a sword+bow combo weapon known as Helios. And I kinda don't get why one of its wings is blue? Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for the Kikaider aesthetic, but wouldn't like, gold and silver, or black and white make alot more sense in terms of color coordinating with Bima's' palette? Well whatever, it's not that big of a deal. I do like how each blade has a very different purpose atleast.

I guess regarding of the coloring, you'd understand better later. Bima's selection of forms will really remind you of certain influental Kamen Rider series; not Build with RabbitTank. There's also some stakes here in regards of the human being held hostage by the MOTW (though for here, it's a basketball player with a bad attitude), though ofc he has Blue Storm to separate them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

[CENTER]Episode 4

Other highlights include Ray asking Mikhail if Mikhail is at all connected to the Vudo Empire's' initial attack 21 years ago, with Mikhail dodging the question entirely(meaning he's totally connected somehow), and social media going crazy over Bima, which might make this the first Toku to ever have that sort of element as a part of its story?

Forgot to mention that the TV channel usually shown here is the one who originally aired Bima Satria Garuda; RCTI, which'd make it kinda hilarious when watching the show at that time to have both RCTI on the TV at the same time.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

[CENTER]Episode 4

The sound design was greatly improved in this one too, which really helped sell the overall atmosphere of the episode, which is definitely needed given the master plan involves the Hypno Toad hypnotizing people into jumping off of buildings and walking infront of oncoming trains! Good lord!

I was totally shocked to see a bunch of people under a spell committing suicide on PG-rated Indonesian TV. That's pretty dark, even by the standards of Japanese Tokusatsu! It makes Hypno Toad an especially despicable villain for how he's such a coward that he doesn't even kill with his own hands.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamSword

Other highlights include Ray asking Mikhail if Mikhail is at all connected to the Vudo Empire's' initial attack 21 years ago, with Mikhail dodging the question entirely(meaning he's totally connected somehow), and social media going crazy over Bima, which might make this the first Toku to ever have that sort of element as a part of its story?

Mikhail would've been very young at the time, so it's curious what kind of role he could've played in that. But yeah, his lack of denial or explanation makes him even more mysterious and that secrecy also adds to the friction between him and Ray, who's starting to get frustrated that Mikhail isn't being totally honest about the situation.

Regarding social media, I recall there was a little of that in Double and Fourze, which is where they got their Kamen Rider title from.

[DreamSword]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadBringer

Forgot to mention that the TV channel usually shown here is the one who originally aired Bima Satria Garuda; RCTI, which'd make it kinda hilarious when watching the show at that time to have both RCTI on the TV at the same time.

That's actually a neat detail. Though it does make the whole bit about who I'm assuming is the upper manager being all "Just put the song on if it'll make him that happy" kinda darkly funny.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

Mikhail would've been very young at the time, so it's curious what kind of role he could've played in that. But yeah, his lack of denial or explanation makes him even more mysterious and that secrecy also adds to the friction between him and Ray, who's starting to get frustrated that Mikhail isn't being totally honest about the situation.

For sure. It's also really cool in regards to seeing Ray actually being proactive given the situation he's in. He wants answers, and he's gonna do all he can to get them regardless of his being Bima or not.

Quote:

Regarding social media, I recall there was a little of that in Double and Fourze, which is where they got their Kamen Rider title from.

Ahhh, right, right. I totally forgot about those details! My bad.